codetheforum.com - free environment to develop SMF 1.1.19 forum software

[arabspaceship123]

 codetheforum.com 

Welcome to the launch of Code The Forum

I've had the idea for a long time but it's put in motion because work on Epochtalk's discontinued. Until we get a new forum users must use this one so Code The Forum could help test features which they'd like to use here.

The service's open to users & volunteer developers who want to access vanilla installs of SMF 1.1.19 with free hosting so they're able to test their code. Users make suggestions for features they'd like to see in the forum. There's some topics in Meta which ask users for which features they'd like so devs should consider them to build in codetheforum.com it's welcomed.

The test forum's on codetheforum.com are open to public scrutiny. When devs modify code it's going to be seen in real time so suggestions & comments can be made instantly to changes user's see.

 Who can apply _\
Any user who knows how to code can ask for access. Devs will get private FTP access and a dedicated folder in codetheforum.com to test their code.

If you aren't a dev you can make suggestions about features you'd like to use. If a dev likes the suggestion it could be coded in a test forum at codetheforum.com


 Is it really free? _\
Yes it's free for devs. I've set 3 installs of SMF 1.1.19 forums on the codetheforum.com website. I can add unlimited forums so long as devs use them to code features requested by forum users I'll add them. If the changes benefit users you'll have to ask admin to consider implementing them for real use in bitcointalk if it isn't a security risk.


 Testing environment _\
The test SMF 1.1.19 websites are running on 4xCPU 3GB RAM with NVMe SSD. These are powerful enough to run many forums simultaneously & support large visitor traffic.


 Donations _\
If you'd like to donate to help keep the service active & further development: bc1qkle4hz9n492x70kh84t6hj742fzh93un88d00c


 Translations _\

• العربية = arabspaceship123
  
• Pidgin = Abdulzuruku01
  

[arabspaceship123]

Res

[nutildah]

This is a cool initiative and a great idea.

The one potential issue I can think of is that modifications made to Bitcointalk may cause unintended consequences to code being developed in your test environment. However, I am admittedly not a coder and there are people smarter than me who may find your initiative highly useful.

Posting here mainly to follow future developments.

[Ambatman]

Wow this could help out alot. Always been skeptical about upgrading the current forum system
Due to fear of bugs.

Would it be possible to have a means to upvote an idea to show level of importance.

This is a cool initiative and a great idea.

The one potential issue I can think of is that modifications made to Bitcointalk may cause unintended consequences to code being developed in your test environment.

I don't think it would have much effect
Especially if it's going to be done on a separate server.
It's a place to test ideas before they are implemented on the forum.

[Alone055]

Good work. I'm not a developer, but I'm sure this can be useful for developers. As far as I know, @PowerGlove is the only active developer we have in the forum right now who is working on implementing changes and fixing bugs or errors. Maybe he could use this, or he may have something of his own that he uses to test the features or codes that he writes for the forum before he posts them for @theymos so that he can implement them.

One quick question, I'm curious, why have you added spaces in the admin email you've provided at the bottom? It says "admin @ codetheforum . com" instead of "admin@codetheforum.com". Is it because you don't want it to be clickable and open the email client when clicked?

[arabspaceship123]

This is a cool initiative and a great idea.

Thanks

The one potential issue I can think of is that modifications made to Bitcointalk may cause unintended consequences to code being developed in your test environment. However, I am admittedly not a coder and there are people smarter than me who may find your initiative highly useful.

I've packed codetheforum.com with the same SMF v.forum software which bitcointalk's powered by. The changes made in codetheforum.com can't affect asktom.cf they're projects on separate servers. Code The Forum's designed for devs to code ideas in a test environment & if it's some thing users want to see in bitcointalk they've got to ask admin if they'll patch it.

Wow this could help out alot. Always been skeptical about upgrading the current forum system
Due to fear of bugs.

Would it be possible to have a means to upvote an idea to show level of importance.

It's possible but won't be required because devs don't need to wait after reading requests they'll have access to test forums.

One quick question, I'm curious, why have you added spaces in the admin email you've provided at the bottom? It says "admin @ codetheforum . com" instead of "admin@codetheforum.com".

Bots crawl & index the email address it helps if you don't want the inbox spammed.

[nutildah]

I've packed codetheforum.com with the same SMF v.forum software which bitcointalk's powered by.

I understand, but it can't be 100% the same as there are several modifications to Bitcointalk's version of SMF and its unknown what all of them are.

The changes made in codetheforum.com can't affect asktom.cf they're projects on separate servers.

Right -- I meant more the other way around: the changes to Bitcointalk might produce an unexpected effect in the behavior of the code being developed based on your version of SMF. However, this is just a theoretical problem and I'm not trying to dissuade people from using your service, which I still think is awesome.

[joker_josue]

The idea itself is good. But, there is a small big problem.

The version of SMF that you have on the server has nothing to do with the version used on Bitcointalk. The SMF used by the forum has some modifications to the source code, in terms of security, code adaptations and others, which will create incompatibilities. Therefore, what is done/seen on the model server may not result in the Bitcointalk system.

Of course, it can be used for testing and to create a base to be presented and added to the main forum. However, this will be difficult to manage. Especially if there are many users using it.

[arabspaceship123]

I understand, but it can't be 100% the same as there are several modifications to Bitcointalk's version of SMF and its unknown what all of them are.

Right -- I meant more the other way around: the changes to Bitcointalk might produce an unexpected effect in the behavior of the code being developed based on your version of SMF. However, this is just a theoretical problem and I'm not trying to dissuade people from using your service, which I still think is awesome.

Unless theymos releases it we won't know how it's been modified. I suspect some of it's changes are modular & some aren't. Modular changes shouldn't be affected by new code because it's using SMF software. The database shouldn't cause concerns it won't be touched & working around direct file changes shouldn't be hard. I don't see any problems adding a patch.

The version of SMF that you have on the server has nothing to do with the version used on Bitcointalk. The SMF used by the forum has some modifications to the source code, in terms of security, code adaptations and others, which will create incompatibilities. Therefore, what is done/seen on the model server may not result in the Bitcointalk system.

It's got everything to do with it. Bitcointalk's based on SMF 1.1.19. Just because it's been modified doesn't change the core base software. Using different versions of SMF or different software wouldn't work. It's got to be based on v1.1.19 as a starting point for development.

Of course, it can be used for testing and to create a base to be presented and added to the main forum. However, this will be difficult to manage. Especially if there are many users using it.

It won't be difficult to manage. If a suggestion's implemented in codetheforum.com it's patch will be posted. If users want theymos to patch it in bitcointalk he'll make a decision.

[joker_josue]

It's got everything to do with it. Bitcointalk's based on SMF 1.1.19. Just because it's been modified doesn't change the core base software. Using different versions of SMF or different software wouldn't work. It's got to be based on v1.1.19 as a starting point for development.

Yes and no.
It is true that this is the basis. But this does not mean that the suggested modification does not have an impact on the changes made.

In fact, the fact that the changes made to the base had an impact was the main reason why the SMF version was never updated.

There may be changes that do not involve altering what has already been done. But others may well have an impact on what currently exists.

The fact that we do not know the current code of the SMF, makes any changes difficult.
I'm not saying it's impossible, just saying that it involves much more than making adjustments to the original source code.

[SensitiveEyes]

A good idea deserves attention. An initiative like this should have been used years ago. The forum is old it could use a makeover.

[NotATether]

Good job.

I've always found it difficult to comprehend how the forum software can be modified if it is closed source, unless someone gets private access from Theymos.

Therefore, I have a few questions for you:

1. I don't see any user accounts. How are developers going to test those?
2. Does this version have the bitcointalk modifications, such as trust lists, merit, flags, the BTC BBcode, and so on?
3. If not, then are developers expected to develop their features in isolation?
4. Is this suitable for security researchers who want to audit the forum for vulnerabilities?

Once again, congratulations. I think this is a great idea.

[arabspaceship123]

1. I don't see any user accounts. How are developers going to test those?
2. Does this version have the bitcointalk modifications, such as trust lists, merit, flags, the BTC BBcode, and so on?
3. If not, then are developers expected to develop their features in isolation?
4. Is this suitable for security researchers who want to audit the forum for vulnerabilities?

1. I'll arrange server access when devs contact me
2. Test forums don't have bitcointalk modifications they're basic SMF 1.1.19
3. Devs will work in isolation because theymos hasn't released the modified forum code
4. It's ideal for security researchers to audit vulnerabilities & stress test

Once again, congratulations. I think this is a great idea.

Thanks 

[dkbit98]

Until we get a new forum users must use this one so Code The Forum could help test features which they'd like to use here.

As you said it yourself, epochtalk development was discontinued, so there is no new forum to wait for.
All we can have now is improvement and bug fixes, with maybe most important improvements made for mobile devices support.
This is a good idea to have testing website before making changes to actual forum.

[nutildah]

The forum is old it could use a makeover.

I've said this several times already over the years but I disagree with this sentiment; the reason being I can't help but think that when people come to visit the forum to read old posts by satoshi, Hal, and a handful of others, they want to see them in the same format in which they were written. It adds to the historical-ness of the forum. Souping them up & making them "fancy" kinda undermines this aspect. However, it could still be possible to offer two viewing modes: "classic" and "new", or whatever.

For me, satoshi's posts are the bedrock of what makes the forum special. That's why I don't really want to see the format/layout too altered from how it was in 2009-2011.

[stwenhao]

Are there any plans to import any data from bitcointalk, or will each forum live its own life, like altcoinstalks and other forums? And should testers just use "register" button, and make half-baked posts there, to test some functionalities, before posting real content on bitcointalk?

My first testing post: https://codetheforum.com/forum3/index.php?topic=2.msg2#msg2

[LoyceV]

For me, satoshi's posts are the bedrock of what makes the forum special. That's why I don't really want to see the format/layout too altered from how it was in 2009-2011.

I'm fine with the forum's layout, but I don't think this test environment is meant to change that. The forum can still be improved without large visual changes, and I appreciate those a lot more.

The forum is old it could use a makeover.

I'm here for the information, not fancy looks. Far too many websites already do that, and anytime I see a website with large white spaces, animated content and lots of unnecessary scrolling, it reminds me of the scam ICOs that happened around 2017. It's easy to impress gullible people, but it doesn't add any value.

[stwenhao]

Bots crawl & index the email address it helps if you don't want the inbox spammed.

Then, I guess you should hide it from your admin profiles:

https://codetheforum.com/forum1/index.php?action=profile;u=1
https://codetheforum.com/forum2/index.php?action=profile;u=1
https://codetheforum.com/forum3/index.php?action=profile;u=1

And also, when there is more than one instance of the forum, do you have any plans, how to share changes, which may be needed for all of them? Because if something is useful in forum3, it would be probably also useful in forum2 and forum1. And I guess you will have just a lot of copy-pasting, as a result.

[arabspaceship123]

Are there any plans to import any data from bitcointalk, or will each forum live its own life, like altcoinstalks and other forums? And should testers just use "register" button, and make half-baked posts there, to test some functionalities, before posting real content on bitcointalk?

I haven't received data to import. Users shouldn't register on codetheforum it's made for devs to work on ideas. They'll post patches in this topic for theymos. It'll be his decision to apply or ignore the patch.

And also, when there is more than one instance of the forum, do you have any plans, how to share changes, which may be needed for all of them? Because if something is useful in forum3, it would be probably also useful in forum2 and forum1. And I guess you will have just a lot of copy-pasting, as a result.

They're intended to be different in isolation. After a patch's posted other devs could use it in their test forums.

[stwenhao]

donotuse@testforum3codetheforum.com

You don't have to change it, you can just mark it as hidden.

Users shouldn't register on codetheforum it's made for devs to work on ideas.

Then you should entirely block the registration, or make it more centralized, like "you can register only if you have an invitation". Because now, everyone can register and write posts.